What 393.24A means in plain language
FMCSR 393.24A covers the lighting and marking requirements for any cargo or load that extends beyond the sides or rear edges of your vehicle. When you're hauling something that sticks out—whether it's lumber, steel, pipe, or other materials—federal safety rules require you to make that overhang visible and recognizable to other road users, especially in low-light conditions.
The regulation is straightforward: if your load projects beyond your truck's footprint, you must light it and mark it so that approaching or following traffic can see the hazard clearly. This applies 24/7, though the risk is highest at dusk, night, and dawn. Proper marking typically means reflective devices or retroreflectors positioned at the extremities of the projection. Proper lighting means working lamps that illuminate the load and its edges.
When an inspector cites you for 393.24A, they've found that your projecting load either lacks required lighting, lacks required marking, or both are inadequate—often discovered during a roadside safety inspection where the truck is stationary and the inspector can walk around and examine the setup.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ inspection records, 393.24A is ranked #555 of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, with 1,823 all-time citations. In the last 12 months, we recorded 1,191 citations for this violation, and in the last 90 days, 283 citations.
What stands out most is how rarely this code triggers an out-of-service order. Across all time, only 9 of the 1,814 non-OOS citations resulted in an out-of-service placement—a 0.5% OOS rate. This is dramatically lower than the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%. That gap tells you that inspectors typically view this as a correctable defect rather than an immediate safety threat to the truck's operation. You will almost certainly be allowed to drive, though you may be required to fix the lighting or marking before continuing or before your next trip.
Looking at recent months, citations have held steady in the 85–150 range per month over the last 12 months, with February 2026 seeing a spike of 150 citations. This consistency suggests the violation is being enforced uniformly across the year.
Who gets cited most
Texas leads by a wide margin: 582 citations in the last 180 days with a 0.3% OOS rate (2 out-of-service placements). Illinois follows at 15 citations with 0.0% OOS. New Mexico rounds out the top three with 9 citations and 0.0% OOS.
The OOS rate variation among these states is minimal (0.3% vs. 0.0%)—all are well below the national average—so geography alone does not predict enforcement severity for this code. Texas's dominance in citation count likely reflects its large trucking population and volume of inspections, not stricter enforcement posture.
Our data shows carriers such as Evans Delivery Company Inc (USDOT 38111) and Guz Trucking (USDOT 3209429) each with 5 citations over the all-time period. These counts are small and spread across many months, indicating isolated compliance lapses rather than systemic fleet issues.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
In the Vehicle Maintenance category, 393.24A sits at the lower end of enforcement severity. For comparison:
- 393.9 (Inoperable Required Lamp) has 180,097 all-time citations with a 6.9% OOS rate—roughly 100 times more citations and a 13-fold higher OOS rate.
- 393.11 (Lighting devices/reflectors) shows 179,734 citations with a 1.8% OOS rate—again, far higher volume and materially higher OOS likelihood.
- 393.78 (Windshield condition defective) records 157,894 citations with a 0.3% OOS rate—similar low OOS rate but much higher absolute citation count.
The contrast with 393.9 (inoperable lamps) is instructive: while both involve lighting, 393.9 affects the truck's own operational safety, whereas 393.24A is about marking and lighting a load to protect third parties. That distinction appears to drive the lower enforcement frequency and OOS rate.
How to avoid it
Preventing a 393.24A citation requires a disciplined pre-trip and pre-load routine:
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Inspect all lamps and reflectors on projecting loads before departure. During your pre-trip, walk around the entire vehicle. If your load extends beyond the frame, check that every lamp is operational (bright red if it's rear-facing, amber if it's side-facing). Look for cracked or missing lens covers; a lamp with a cracked lens may appear to work in daylight but fail in low light.
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Verify reflective tape or retroreflectors are present and clean. Projecting loads must have retroreflectors at the four corners of the load extremity or along both sides if the load is long. Use a flashlight during pre-trip to confirm they reflect sharply. Dirt, mud, or road film reduces visibility. Wipe them clean if needed.
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Test all lighting under low-light conditions whenever possible. If you're loading in daylight and will drive in dusk or darkness, spend 30 seconds in a shaded area or wait for twilight to verify that markers and lamps are genuinely visible. Inspectors often cite this violation in evening or early-morning inspections when lighting defects become obvious.
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Coordinate with your loaders and brokers on load overhang size. Many citations occur because drivers inherit loads that overhang and the lighting/marking was never installed or was removed during prior unloading. Before accepting a load, confirm with the broker or shipper whether markings and lamps are present. Document it in writing or via load-to-truck form.
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Our co-occurrence data shows that inoperable lamps (code 393.9) appear in 129 of the last 90 days' shared inspections with 393.24A. This indicates that drivers cited for 393.24A often have other lamp defects on the vehicle itself. Inspect all vehicle lighting—headlamps, taillamps, markers—at the same time you check load markings. A comprehensive lamp sweep during pre-trip will prevent both violations.
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Monitor your load securement and cover condition. Code 393.78 (windshield/glazing obstruction) co-occurs with 393.24A in 87 shared inspections over 90 days. While these seem unrelated, both suggest general vehicle presentation and visibility issues. A well-maintained, clean truck reflects attention to detail on load marking too.
Your CSA Severity Weight for 393.24A is 3—the lowest severity tier—meaning a citation will have minimal impact on your CSA Safety Management System scores. However, it's still a violation. The real cost is the roadside delay, the citation itself, and the need to fix the defect before resuming operation. A 10-minute pre-trip lamp and reflector check costs nothing and eliminates almost all risk.